Metal barrel with floating inner container



n. J. REED METAL BARREL WITH FLOATING INNER CONTAINER Filed Dec. 26, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Daniel J. Reed ATTORNEY.

0a. 13, 1936. D, J, REED I 2,057,346

METAL BARREL WITH FLOATING INNER CONTAINER h Filed Dec. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR.. Daniel J. Reed ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 PATENT OFFICE METAL BARREL WITH FLOATING INNER CONTAINER v Daniel J. Reed, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Win, a corporation of New York Application December 26, 1933, Serial No. 703,905 4 Claims. (pi. rat-a) This invention relates to a metal barrel with floating inner container, and has been particularly applied in the construction of beer barrels.

The principal object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a double-walled metal barrel in which the inner container is lined with vitreous enamel or similar material, and in which the inner container I is supported in a floating manner with respect to the outer wall to protect the container from shock lo; and deformation.

Another object is to provide a light-weight, highly heat-insulated barrel suitable for transporting beer or the like.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

' it The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure l is a central longitudinal section or the barrel;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the barrel showing m thebung opening;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the barrel during ase sembly, and before the end head is positioned thereon.

The barrel comprises, in general, an inner container, an outer cylindrical wall, two outer end heads, suitable means for supporting the inner container for limited relative movement, and suitable fittings.

The inner container has a slightly bilged subw stantially cylindrical body i of thin wall, and two end heads l'and't, respectively, preferably of heavier wall thickness. The parts are preferably formed of fairly high carbon steel, 1. e., from .30 to .45'per cent carbon, in order to pro vide the required strength with lightness of weight. However, it will'be understoodthat various compositions or alloys may be employed for the purpose.

In making the container body i, a flat sheet of metal is first roller into a" cylinder with the end edges of the sheet meeting on a longitudinal line. Then the edges are butt welded together, as by electric flash welding, after which the flash is trimmed from the seam..The' cylinder is then placed on an expanding mandrel and bilged.

The bung opening in the side of the body i is provided with a tubular bung flttlng 4 and a reenforcing plate 5. As illustrated in the drawlngs, the body I and reenforcing plate 5 are curved outwardly and fit into a machined recess in the fitting 4, the flange of the plate 5 extending farther out than that of the body I so as to leave an annular space 6' around the bung for receiving a wire of brazing metal, such as copper or brass. The surfaces of the several parts are made to flt snugly to facilitate brazing of the parts to ether. 1 The top end head 2 of the container is formed of a single sheet of metal and curved on lines best d suited for withstanding the stresses caused by internal fluid pressure, or the rough handling of the barrel in use. The outer rim 1 of the head is curved outwardly like a flange, and a portion of the head adjacent the rim is of a shape and size lid to fit snugly over the upper end of the body i, as shown in the drawings. The recess d, between the rim i and body i, serves for receiving a wire or strip of brazing metal for brazing the parts together. it

The head i has a tap fitting t therein as is customarily provided for beer barrels. The top fitting 9 may be located as desired, the one illustrated being located to one side of the center. For this purpose, the head 2 is provided with an opening for receiving the tap fitting t and formed with a recess around the opening for receiving the tap cup it, the head being shaped to fit snugly against the surface of the cup and to provide a level support for the cup and tap. m

An annular space it is provided for receiving a wire of brazing metal at the inner edge of the cup it for brazing the tap 9, cup it, and end head i together, and the inner end of the tap t is pressed outwardly against the head i to press the W parts together.

A reenforcing tap plate 82 encircles the tap cup it for reenforcing the end head adjacent the cup.

The plate it has an upstanding flange it fitting against the cup it and an outer upwardly slant- $5 ing rim it, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The annular space it between the plate i2, cup it, and head 2 is adapted to receive brazing metal for brazing. the parts together.

The bottom head 3 is shaped generally similar til to the head 2, having an outer rim it similar to the rim l of head 2. A recess i'i between the rim it and body l is provided for receiving suitable brazing metal, and the head .flts snugly upon the end of the body a to facilitate the brazing W operation.

- The head 3 has a flat bottom portion it directly beneath the tap 9 in the upperhead to provide for drainage of the barrel by a tap memw ber inserted through the tap opening. A flat stainless steel clad plate It is provided in the I recessed portion ill to withstand the blows of the tap connection. The plate i9 is flrst secured in' place at the center by a light ick weld made 55 through a hole in the head 3 provided for that purpose. A thin strip of brazing metal is placed beneath the plate l9 prior to the tack welding operation for the purpose of brazing the plate to the head throughout the juxtaposed surfaces of the same.

In manufacturing the inner container, the several parts are first assembled, as described above, with the brazing metal in place, and the container is then heated in a brazing furnace in a reducing atmosphere to a temperature sufiicient to melt the brazing metal employed and to cause it to penetrate the several joints and to unite the parts into a unitary whole. The temperature to which the container should be heated is chiefly dependent upon the kind of brazing metal employed. Where brass is employed for brazing, the temperature should be about 1750 F., and where copper is used, a higher temperature should be employed.

After the container is cooled from the brazing operation, it is coated on the inside with vitreous enameling material in any suitable manner, and

the coating dried. Then the enameling material is wiped off from the topstainless steel surface of the plate [9. The container is then heated in a furnace to a temperature which will efiect a fusing or burning down of the enamel to provide the glass lining 20 for the container. The temperature employed for this purpose will depend upon the composition of the enameling material used, a temperature of from 1500 to 1750 F. usually being sumcient.

The outer cylindrical wall of the container is preferably made of three parts, one heavy central bilge 2i and two thin-walledshells 22, one at either end of the bilge.- The shells 22 overlap the ends of the bilge 2i and are preferably. electrically resistance welded thereto. All three parts are formed from flat sheets having their longitudinal meeting edges electrically flash welded. They are of fairly high carbon steel and may be treated for the purpose of increasing their stiffness.

The central bilge 2| is formed with two circumferential corrugations or rolling rings 23, one

on either side of the bung fitting 4.

In assembling the inner container in the outer wall, a soft rubber sealing ring 24 is placed around the bung fitting 4 and the container then inserted through one end of the outer wall until the bung fitting 4 registers with the bung opening in the outer wall. The rubber ring 24 is adapted to press tightly against the outer wall, the bung fitting 4, and thereenforcing plate to form a tight seal between the parts. An aluminum corner guard 25 is preferably provided to protect the exposed corner of the rubber ring 24 from injury.

Rubber cushion blocks 26 are than inserted in the space between the end heads 2 and 3 and the outer wall shells 22. These blocks 26 may be solid and of any suitable shape. Applicant has found it preferable to employ sections of rubber hose of suitable diameter and cut in lengths of about two or three inches. A thin curved sheet metal or wire insert 21 is provided for each sec- ,tion of hose to give it greater rigidity to more nearly approximate the characteristics of a solid soft rubber block. Eight or ten hose sections 26 are equally spaced about the circumference of the barrel at each end and are inserted to a point where they engage the rims I and I6, re-

spectively, of the heads 2 and 3 of the container. After the cushion blocks 26 are in place, a thin sheet metal ring 28 is positioned at the outer ends of the blocks at the corner adjacent the outer shells 22 to hold the blocks from deformation and also to provide a support for a rubber sealing ring 29. The sealing rings 29 extend circumferentially of the barrel between the metal rings 28, the outer shells 22, and the outer end heads 30 and 3|, as hereinafter explained.

The outer end head 30 is formed of a single sheet of metal and is dished in its central portion to provide a suitable space between it and the container head 2. The head 30 has an outwardly extending fiange or skirt 32 adapted to fit snugly inthe end of the shell 22, and the portion of the head between the dished central portion and the skirt 32 is shaped to confine the end of the blocks 26, the inner corner of the head engaging the sealing ring 29.

A rubber sealing ring 33 is provided in the reenforcing tap plate l2, the ring being of such thickness that it is tightly confined in place between the plate i2, rim l4, and the outer head 30. The head 30 has an opening 34 adapted to accommodate the tap fitting 9 and tap cup I0, the edge of the head at the opening being turned downwardly to provide a flange 35 for confining the inner surface of the sealing ring 33.

The outer end head 3|, which is adapted to fit in the bottom end of the barrel, is generally similar in construction to thehead 30, having a downwardly extending skirt 36 and a, dished center, the portion of the head between the two being adapted to confine the lower ends of the blocks 26. Instead of having an opening for receiving a tap fitting, the head 3i has a flattened portion 31 to accommodate the fiat portion iii of the head 3.

After the end heads 33 and 3| have been pressed tightly in place, chimes .33 are secured to the adjacent outer ends of the shells 22, and the respective skirts or flanges 32 and 36. Where the chimes are formed, as illustrated in the drawings, it has been found preferable to key weld the several parts together as through aligned openings in the shells, skirts, and chimes provided for that purpose. As illustrated, about eight key welds 39 are made at each end of the barrel to secure the end heads and chimes in place. Suitable drainage holes 40 may be provided through the shells 22 and skirts 32 and 36 to prevent collection of water at the upper end of the barrel in case of rain, or from other cause.

A barrel constructed as described above has many advantages. It avoids the difliculties heretofore encountered in satisfactorily pitching the inside of metal barrels to protect the beer from contamination. It provides a glass or enamel lining which is readily cleaned and sterilized. It protects the glass-lined inner container from shock and deformation which might tend to crack and disrupt the lining, by providing a completely resilient or floating mounting for the container. It provides complete heat insulation be-- tween the inner container and outer wall, there being no metal to metal contact, and the insulating quality of the barrel being greater than that of wooden barrels. Practically all of the main parts of the barrel can be readily replaced without difliculty, it being possible to drill out the key welds 39, thereby permitting dissembling of the various parts.

The invention may have various embodiments within the scope of the accompanying claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a double wall sheet metal barrel, a tap fitting brazed to the inner wall, the outer wall having an opening to accommodate said tap fitting, a reenforcing plate tor the inner wall surrounding said tap fitting, and a rubber sealing ring disposed in said reenlorcing plate and pressed tightly between the same and the outer wall, the outer periphery 01' said ring being confined by a rim on said reeniorcing plate and the inner surface of the ring being confined by an inturned flange at the edge of the opening in the outer wall.

2. In a double wall sheet metal barrel: radially extending flange-like members disposed at the outer corners of the inner container; annular rubber cushion blocks having internal supportgiving metallic forms; and head members provided with annular deformations adapted to confine'the rubber cushion blocks, which blocks. upon assembly of the barrel, are seated against said flange-like members and are pressed between said members, the spaced outer and'einner walls of the barrel and theouter heads with their confining deformations, toresiliently support the inner container within the barrel against shock. 3. In a double wall sheet metal barrel, radially extending flange-like members disposed at the outer corners oi the innerv container, rubber cushion blocks seated against said members and pressed between said members and the spaced outer and inner walls oi. the barrel. annular retaining rings placed externally to said cushion blocks. separate outer head members adapted to be inserted in the outer walls and pressed against said blocks and said retaining rings, and annular sealing rings adapted to fit over said retaining rings and seal the line between said heads and the outer wall oi said double-walled barrel.

i. In a double-walled barrel, an outer cylindrical shell, outer heads adapted to be inserted in said shell, an inner substantially cylindrical enclosure, cushion blocks adapted to be pressed between said enclosure and said shell and heads at the outer corners of said enclosure to resiliently 

